<Episode 44>
As soon as I stepped out of the Deputy Director’s office, I let out a long breath.
‘To think the Deputy Director would be such a despicable person.’
If he truly believed I was running things incorrectly, there would be no reason to call me in privately just to intimidate me. He could have simply sat back, watched me struggle, and stepped on me when the time came.
So there was only one reason he had summoned me and started talking.
It meant I wasn’t moving according to his wishes.
‘I must be doing pretty well then?’
As I rode the elevator down, a small smile appeared on my face.
‘Since I joined the Hunter Management Bureau at the Director’s recommendation, he probably won’t make a move for a while. He won’t want to make this any bigger either.’
Still, there was no harm in staying cautious.
‘I can probably ask Hunter Lee Hyunwoo to keep an eye out.’
He didn’t seem to think highly of the Deputy Director either, so if anything suspicious happened, I’d likely hear about it quickly.
“Ugh, it’s already this late. I’ll have to run if I want to make it before opening.”
The Deputy Director had given me all sorts of unsolicited advice about my shop, but honestly, I couldn’t care less.
The new menu had been such a huge success that I didn’t have time to worry about trivial things like that.
“Boss! I made a reservation! When are the tteokbokki and fish cakes coming out?”
“I ordered a Spicy bungeoppang. Can I have some fish cake broth too?”
“There aren’t any seats left upstairs. Can I wait in the shop?”
Orders poured in endlessly.
Customers kept flooding through the door.
And on top of that, the shop had expanded to two floors.
“I’ll bring the fish cakes right away! Just a moment!”
“You can have the broth. There are paper cups over there!”
I had to grill fish-shaped buns, check orders, and make more tteokbokki whenever I found a spare moment.
Thankfully, the second floor was self-service.
If it hadn’t been, there was no way the two of us could have handled everything.
“Boss! Can I get more fish cake broth?”
“There’s a ladle over there, nyang. Help yourself.”
“Eek! So cute…”
Fortunately, Hanyang helped take care of some of the customers in our place.
The customers loved it, making it a win-win situation.
It was while we were busy like that and the morning rush had finally begun to ease that Ari cautiously approached me and whispered while looking outside.
“Unni, that person is here again.”
Outside the shop stood a suspicious man wearing a cap and a mask.
Ari had first noticed him three days ago.
But he might have been lingering around the shop for much longer.
“He doesn’t even seem like a customer. What is he doing? His face is completely covered.”
Yesterday, Ari had even approached him and asked if he needed anything.
Instead of answering, he had simply run away.
“…Could he be a stalker?”
“Huh? A stalker?”
The way he kept glancing at customers entering the shop looked incredibly suspicious.
I was about to go outside and say something when the man looked around nervously, turned around, and disappeared.
Apparently, he had realized we’d noticed him.
Clicking my tongue lightly, I shook my head.
“I don’t like this. Starting today, leave work an hour earlier. I’ll walk you to the bus stop.”
“But Unni, the shop is so busy…”
“It’s fine. It’s only one hour.”
After hesitating for a moment, Ari nodded.
The suspicious man was clearly bothering her too.
“You be careful too, Unni.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been learning how to use a gun lately. If anything happens, I’ll just go bang!”
And that very evening, I found myself in a situation where I really might have to fire one.
***
After cleaning up the shop, I was walking back to the dormitory while chatting with Hanyang.
Then I caught sight of a familiar figure behind me.
‘…It’s that man from earlier.’
I thought he had left, but apparently, he’d been hiding somewhere and waiting.
I could feel him moving carefully in step with me.
‘Looks like Hanyang hasn’t noticed.’
When I glanced beside me, Hanyang was simply humming to herself.
Without drawing attention, I summoned my gun from my inventory.
The cool sensation of metal pressed against my hand inside my pocket.
Sweat dampened my palms from the tension.
Had he really been hanging around the shop all this time because he was targeting me?
‘Is he one of Park Seongcheol’s people?’
But judging by how poorly he concealed his presence, he didn’t seem like a high-ranking hunter.
Then again, maybe he was simply underestimating me because I was F-rank.
Either way, it worked in my favor.
‘I just need to establish dominance at the start.’
I could have simply quickened my pace and gotten away.
But I needed to find out who this stalker really was.
If I kept ignoring him, who knew what he might do?
‘A little closer. Just a little more…’
Gripping the gun in my pocket, I deliberately slowed my pace.
A deserted area.
Perhaps emboldened by something, the stalker strode toward me and carefully reached out his hand.
Every muscle in my body tensed.
Then, through the dry evening air, I heard an unfamiliar voice.
“Excuse me–”
Now!
I spun around and aimed the gun at the stalker.
But…
“…Aaaagh!!!”
A man with soft brown hair was twisting the stalker’s arm behind his back.
It was none other than Hunter Park Jaemin from Alpha Team.
Tilting his head, he asked,
“Do you know him?”
“…No way. I’ve never seen him before.”
At all times, for Hunter Park Jaemin to show up.
I was grateful for the help, but his presence still left me feeling oddly uncomfortable.
“Who would follow our Hunter Haneul around like this? Very suspicious, don’t you think?”
“Aaaah! W-wait! I’m not suspicious! Aaaah!”
The stalker stomped his feet and reached into the inner pocket of his suit.
‘Is he trying to pull out a weapon?’
Instinctively shielding Hanyang behind me, I stepped back.
But what emerged from his pocket wasn’t a weapon.
It was a small business card.
“I’M THIS PERSON!!”
“…Executive Director of Modanic Pharmaceuticals, Gong Juwon?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Hunter Park Jaemin snatched the card from his hand and read it aloud.
Then he looked back at me.
“So? Remember who he is now?”
I shook my head firmly.
“No. I don’t know him.”
Smiling brightly, Park Jaemin threw the man to the ground and restrained him.
With his arm twisted behind his back, the man slammed the ground and shouted,
“I’m Gong Juhee’s older brother! I wanted to talk to the owner! Aaagh!”
Gong Juhee’s brother?
That’s Princess Gong Juhee?
“…I think I know him. Please let him go.”
“Hmm. If you say so.”
Park Jae-min stepped back with both hands raised.
The stalker… or rather, Mr. Gong Juwon, staggered to his feet.
Only after checking his ID and seeing family photos of him with Ju-hee on his phone did I finally relax.
‘Come to think of it, I vaguely remember Ju-hee mentioning she had an F-rank awakened older brother back in high school.’
Unlike the prickly Juhee, her brother seemed incredibly clumsy.
Mr. Gong Juwon remained stiff as a board, clearly intimidated by Park Jaemin standing nearby.
“I’m sorry. You kept hanging around our shop, so I thought you were suspicious…”
“N-not at all! I was the one being inconsiderate. I should’ve introduced myself first.”
The man fumbled nervously.
His eyes watered slightly, perhaps because the shoulder that had been restrained still hurt.
“Anyway, why were you looking for me?”
“Ah! Well, it’s about Juhee. Um…”
Mr. Gong Juwon glanced at Park Jaemin.
It was obvious he didn’t want to discuss it in front of him.
“Hunter Park Jaemin, could you give us some privacy for a moment?”
“Hmm, are you sure? From what I can tell, this guy’s an awakened person too. F-rank, though.”
I lightly waved the gun in my hand.
I meant that I had a weapon and would be fine.
But Park Jaemin looked at me as if he’d seen something absurd.
“You think holding a gun makes you threatening?”
“…Ugh.”
The unexpected support came from elsewhere.
“I’ll protect Haneul, nyang!”
Hanyang puffed herself up beside me and let out an imposing hiss.
Seeing that, Park Jaemin burst into laughter.
“I can’t decide whether that’s cute or reckless. Fine. As long as I’m far enough away not to hear the conversation.”
He slowly walked off.
Once there was sufficient distance between us, I spoke again.
“Alright. Tell me.”
“Ah, yes. I heard Juhee is a regular customer here. If you happen to see her, could you tell her that I’ve been desperately looking for her?”
He explained that Juhee seemed to be avoiding him and looked at me with pleading eyes.
“It’s not a difficult request. Just tell her that I’m sorry about everything and that I want to talk.”
He clasped both hands together and stared at me earnestly.
At that moment, a familiar sound effect rang out.
A system window appeared before my eyes.
‘Wait. I just completed a mission not long ago. Another one already?’
But this was different.
—
If you ignore someone who needs help, can you really call yourself a kind-hearted shop owner?
Condition fulfilled: Received a request
Restricted function unlocked.
New Function: Request Board
—
…A Request Board?
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